Raven AU Volume 1 week 2 day 4
Leaderboard:
1st place: Verko-8 lives, 1 ring
2nd place: Maglev-7 lives, 5 rings
3rd place: Kylam-6 lives, 7 rings
4th place: Aljos-6 lives, 5 rings
It was now day 4 and Aljos and Verko had finally reconciled with each other a few hours ago and were now determined to do much better. The former was arm wrestling with Kylam after breakfast and the latter was reading a book. Maglev on the other hand was swinging on a wooden swing hanging from a nearby tree.
Raven got their attention and all 4 remaining warriors listened. "Warriors, as the challenges get tougher today, some of you may be tested to your limits. Do you feel you are prepared for what lies ahead?"
(Raven's Eye confessional)
Verko: I think now that Aljos and I have reconciled we can both do well today and hopefully be two of the final 3.
Maglev: I didn't win as many challenges as I wanted to yesterday but hopefully that can change today and I'll be able to avoid Way of the Warrior.
Kylam: I'm pretty confident that I can keep myself from falling into last place since I've made it this far and I want to go farther.
Aljos: Now that Verko and I have let bygones be bygones, I can climb out of last place even if I can't quite catch up to her.
(End Raven's Eye confessional)
Raven continued speaking to the final four. "Warriors, you have seen how distraction from whatever task you must complete can be deadly. Aljos, you are currently in last place but perhaps continued progress in remaining calm in situations where you previously would become like a raging storm might help you to focus better and rise through the ranks again. Come my friends, our first challenge awaits and we must meet it."
All 4 warriors got up and followed Raven, wondering what would be in store for them today. They soon knew once they came to a clearing in the woods and saw two rings hanging high above them and two piles of gigantic blocks.
"After battles, rebuilding can be quite hard but a warrior should be able to do this just as well as he can destroy the enemy. This is Tower Build, a challenge in which you must work in teams of two to build a structure that can reach the rings above you due to them hanging beyond your reach." Raven explained. "This will not be easy however as if you fail to build your tower safely or lose the race, you will lose a life. "Aljos and Verko, you will be competing against Maglev and Kylam to complete these towers. I wish all of you the best of luck."
Fortunately for Aljos, Verko was the one to get into the safety harness. Maglev was in the other harness since she had felt Kylam's height would be more of an advantage in handing up the blocks. All of the warriors were now determined to do what they could to complete the challenge.
"Warriors, are you ready?" Raven asked them.
"Ready!" All four of them shouted.
"Then let the challenge begin!" He declared, leaving them to complete it.
Both teams were pretty much neck in neck most of the time but it seemed that Kylam and Maglev weren't quite careful in making their tower stable. It fell over just before they could get the rings, causing them to vanish.
"Oh no." Aljos wanted to panic, hoping that she and Verko would not meet the same fate.
"Aljos, I'm almost there! Let's just take our time since it's not a race anymore!" Verko called down. "Count to 15 if you have to!"
"Okay." The black haired girl took a deep breath and began counting to fifteen. When she had, she handed up the next block and the brown haired girl took it and placed it beside the one that was already there.
"We just need two more!" Verko called down to her cousin.
"Got it!" Aljos got the next block and carefully handed it up to the other warrior after making a small stair case out of the other team's blocks. Then after that was in place, the final block was handed up.
Verko took the last block and put it down, expertly keeping her balance. Then she reached up and got both rings. "We won!" She shouted.
Soon both cousins were in front of their standards and hugging each other. Each of them held one ring in their hands.
Raven addressed the two of them, clearly proud of them for having completed that. "Aljos, Verko, you both remained calm upon realizing the danger that you were in. That and your teamwork has earned you both treasure. Place your prizes on your standards."
Both cousins did so, still smiling and feeling optimistic about their chances of doing well in the other day four challenges.
"Now for your comrades." Raven said before bringing back Maglev and Kylam. "Maglev and Kylam, in your haste to complete this challenge, you did not make your tower's foundation stable and thus, you must each lose a precious life." The warlord removed a life from each losing warrior's standard with his Staff of Power. "Come my young friends; our next height based challenge won't be quite so high up. This way."
The warriors followed him, wondering how they would do in the next challenge.
Leaderboard:
1st place: Verko-8 lives, 2 rings
2nd place: Aljos-6 lives, 6 rings
3rd place: Maglev-6 lives, 5 rings
4th place: Kylam-5 lives, 7 rings
(Raven's Eye confessional)
Verko: I volunteered to go on the tower because I knew that Aljos would not have been able to do it. I am glad we both worked really well together and I'm looking forward to the next challenge.
Aljos: Tower Build was a bit of a difficult challenge and I was a little bit scared when Maglev fell since I did not want that to happen to my cousin. I'm happy about winning though and so glad to be out of last place.
Maglev: I am pretty disappointed in myself for not putting the bocks down in alternating directions since that tactic would have worked a lot better.
Kylam: I'm disappointed to be in last place right now but hopefully I can get out of it during the next challenge.
(End Raven's Eye confessional)
The warriors could now see the Golden Stairway and the river it went over as well as two of the rings that were available as the one in the water was not visible from where they were standing.
"Knowing when a risk is worth taking is an important skill for a warrior to have. It is this skill that will be tested here as you climb the Golden Stairway. There is no place for fear in this challenge. Should you fall from the stairway, you will lose a life." Raven warned the warriors. "Verko, as you still lead this band, you must lead by example and go first."
The others were soon out of sight and Verko, like other warriors who had done this challenge in the past, had on a helmet and lifejacket for her safety. The American preteen hoped to get at least 2 rings.
"Verko, remember that if you fall into the water below you will lose a life and fall down the leaderboard. Are you ready?" Raven called over to her from the other bank.
"Ready!" The brown haired warrior shouted.
"Then let the challenge begin!" Raven declared.
Carefully balancing across the logs, Verko remained completely focused on the task at hand. She soon made it to the second ring and carefully reached up to get it; she had skipped the first ring because she wasn't sure how to reach it without falling off. Then finally, she got to the last log before the platform and slowly put one foot on it and grabbed the ropes for it with her hands before moving her other foot, the second ring still around her arm. She then jumped up for the final ring, grabbing it as she splashed into the water below.
"Well done Verko." Raven said to her, clearly proud of her for being able to maintain her lead. Time would tell if she still remained on top after the next few challenges.
Soon Aljos had a helmet and lifejacket on and was at the starting point. She looked a little bit nervous but tried not to be.
"Aljos, remember to remain focused on the task ahead. Are you ready?" Raven asked her.
"Ready!" Aljos tried to sound confident.
"Then let the challenge begin!" He declared.
The wave emblem bearing warrior carefully got onto the first log. Then the next one, focusing on where she was placing her feet. As she came to the first ring, she decided to be brave enough to try to pull the rope it was attached to out of the water and yank it off. Surprisingly, she was successful at doing so without falling off. Okay, I don't have that much longer to go, she reminded herself as she moved over to the next log. She skipped the second ring and now she was getting higher up. Oh no, she thought looking down briefly, her heart starting to beat fast from her fear.
Raven had noticed that she was starting to let her fear get to her. She was going to fall if she couldn't focus now. Aljos, you must not give into your fear if you wish to preserve your lives. You are almost to the end now He reminded her via speaking in the back of her mind.
The wave emblem bearing warrior began counting to 15 again. Now she could refocus. She soon continued climbing, carefully balancing once more and focused on the final ring. Once she was on the last log, Aljos carefully got herself onto the platform then had to take a moment to time the jump right. She jumped up for the final ring, screaming as she splashed down into the water. She did manage to get out though and was breathing heavily. She couldn't believe she had made that jump and she wasn't hurt.
"Easy my young friend; you successfully gained two rings. Well done." Raven assured her.
"Yes!" Aljos grinned and went to join Verko.
Now Maglev was up and had a helmet and lifejacket on. She looked a little bit overconfident here.
"Maglev, two of your fellow warriors have succeeded. Will you be able to do so as well?" Raven asked the blonde haired girl. "Are you ready?"
"Ready!" Maglev answered.
"Then let the challenge begin!"
Maglev climbed, intending to do the same thing that Aljos had done and only get one ring or two. Unfortunately, the blonde haired girl did not get that far; she didn't quite get on the platform and lost her footing. She fell into the water and went to the other bank, disappointed in herself.
Finally Kylam was up after getting on a lifejacket and helmet. He had heard that Maglev had fallen and hoped the same thing would not happen to him.
"Kylam, will you join Maglev in defeat or will you join the cousins in victory?" Raven asked. "Are you ready?"
"Ready!" The teenage boy answered.
"Then let the challenge begin!"
As soon as he heard those words, Kylam started his climb. He was balancing quite well and had soon come to the first ring which was the one in the water. He bent down carefully and lifted it out of the water with one hand while using the other to hold onto the rope. He then stood up again without losing his balance. Could he get the other rings?
Raven watched as the only remaining boy got over to the next log and pulled down the ring hanging above him and sliding the ring around his left arm with the first one. Impressive young Kylam. Can you gain the final ring as well?
Kylam heard that in the back of his mind and continued carefully going across the logs. He knew this was not a race and therefore he could take his time here. He then made it to the platform, leapt for the last ring and grabbed it, landing in the water below. He was smiling since he would now win back a life.
Soon the warriors were no longer wearing safety equipment and were standing by their standards once more.
"Warriors, that was a very trying challenge for some of you yet you met with success anyway. Verko and Aljos, you gained two rings. Kylam, you gained all 3. Place them on your standards with pride." Raven said. After they had done so, he had one more thing to say. "Kylam, you have gained enough rings to exchange for a life. Congratulations."
Kylam was grinning as nine of his rings disappeared and a new feather was added to his standard courtesy of Raven's Staff of Power. Maglev was looking down in disappointment.
"Maglev, you failed to keep your balance and fell just before getting to the final platform. As such, you must forfeit the rings you gained along with losing a precious life." Raven said, removing a life from her standard. "Come my friends, this next challenge thankfully is on solid ground but that won't necessarily make it easy."
The warriors followed Raven, wondering how hard the next thing they had to do would be.
Leaderboard:
1st place: Verko-8 lives, 4 rings
2nd place: Aljos-6 lives, 8 rings
3rd place: Kylam-6 lives, 1 ring
4th place: Maglev-5 lives, 5 rings
(Raven's Eye confessional)
Verko: I decided to go for only 2 rings because I knew it would be hard to get all 3 of them. I am glad that worked out for me.
Aljos: I'm so glad I was able to get those rings. It was really hard to balance on the Golden Stairway and I was a bit scared that I would fall off.
Kylam: When Maglev fell, I was a bit nervous since I didn't want to remain behind her after the challenge. Thankfully I was able to succeed and win back a life.
Maglev: Being the only one to fail Golden Stairway was not in my plans for today. Hopefully I can turn things around and avoid Way of the Warrior.
(End Raven's Eye confessional)
The warriors were now at the edge of a set of woods that looked creepy to say the least.
"This is the Dark Path, a location that is dangerous to walk for one simple reason: the wood demons who roam this forest have a gaze that can turn a warrior into ash. Therefore you will be blindfolded and must feel the vines to make your way to the end while racing your fellow warrior but do not let go of them or you will lose a life. There are rings along the way should you wish to gather them but beware of false paths which are marked by skulls." Raven explained to the final 4 for this week. "If you feel a skull, you must turn back. Fail to do so or lose the race, you will also lose a life. Verko and Aljos, though you worked together in Tower Build, here you must compete against each other and go first."
Soon both cousins were blindfolded. Verko was near the vine on Raven's left and Aljos was near the one to his right.
"Warriors, remember my warnings or you will be claimed by the wood demons." Raven reminded them. "Are you both ready?"
The two preteen girls nodded their heads yes.
"Then let the challenge begin." He declared.
Verko and Aljos felt their way around as they held the vines; Aljos was the one who made it back to the true path first after finding a skull but Verko was soon back on the correct path as well. Unfortunately a few seconds later Verko let go of the vines and failed to realize that she had, causing her to be taken by the demons.
Aljos, Verko has failed to heed my warnings. Do not do the same. Raven reminded the remaining warrior in the back of her mind.
Finding one ring, Aljos managed to remain on the correct path and soon found the second one. She was worried about her cousin but had to put it aside if she wanted to avoid the same fate. She soon found her way to the final ring and out of the woods, remaining calm the whole time. "Yes!" She said.
Next up were Kylam and Maglev and they were near the left and right vines respectively.
"Warriors, neither of you can afford to suffer the same fate as Verko." Raven warned them. "Are you ready?"
The bottom two warriors nodded.
"Then let the challenge begin!" Their guide declared.
Kylam had little trouble keeping to the true path and finding the rings. Maglev however did not seem very comfortable being blindfolded and failed to realize she had gone down a false path in haste. She then was claimed by a wood demon as its victim.
Kylam, I warned Maglev about the false paths. Can you avoid making the same mistake? Raven asked the teenage boy in th back of the latter's mind.
Kylam continued on, having already gotten a ring and now getting a second one. He had soon carefully made his way to the end and grabbed the final ring, smiling upon realizing what had happened.
Now Aljos and Kylam were no longer blindfolded and standing by the standards.
"Aljos and Kylam, you recognized the need to rely on your other senses in the absence of sight and successfully completed the challenge. Place your prizes on your standards." Raven said to them. Once they had, he had one more thing to say. "Aljos, you now have enough rings to exchange for a life. Congratulations."
Aljos was smiling now as nine rings disappeared from her standard and were replaced by a feather courtesy of her guide's Staff of Power.
"Now for your fellow warriors." Raven brought back Verko and Maglev. "Verko and Maglev, you both wandered off the path and failed to realize you had done so. As such, you must each lose a life." He used his Staff of Power to remove a life from each losing warrior's standard. "Come my friends; perhaps you will have better focus on our next mental challenge. This way."
The warriors followed Raven towards the Riddle Bridge, not knowing what to expect next.
Leaderboard:
1st place: Verko-7 lives, 4 rings
2nd place: Aljos-7 lives, 2 rings
3rd place: Kylam-6 lives, 4 rings
4th place: Maglev-4 lives, 5 rings
(Raven's Eye confessional)
Verko: I really don't like being blindfolded so I did not do very well in Dark Path. Thankfully I'm still in first place even though I am only 2 rings ahead of Aljos now.
Aljos: When I completed Dark Path, I was very happy since I have won back a life and completed a challenge that is more difficult than it seems.
Kylam: I am only a life behind Verko now after winning Dark Path. I knew I had to use care as well as speed and haste and I think that was what helped me win.
Maglev: I'm frustrated that I lost Dark Path since now I am going to have to do Way of the Warrior.
(End Raven's Eye confessional)
The warriors wondered just how hard this riddle would be and if any of them could solve it.
"You have all learned that even the strongest warrior can be outwitted by a seemingly weaker opponent. Let us see if you can remember this as you cross the Riddle Bridge. You must solve a riddle posed to you by the magical book by stepping on the letters that spell the correct answer. Step on a wrong letter and you will lose a life." Raven said to them. "Verko, you will walk the path as you are our leader. Aljos, you must assist her."
Aljos went over and stood in front of the stand the riddle book was sitting on. Verko stood at the beginning of the path, eager for the challenge to begin. Could they do it in the short amount of time that they had? Hopefully, they could.
"Remember to mark this glass well. Aljos, Verko , are you both ready?" Raven asked them.
"Ready!" They both replied.
"Then let the challenge begin!" He declared, turning glass timer in his hands over.
Aljos opened the Riddle Book and listened closely to it:
I am what you use when cleaning is done;
the more you use me to dry things, the wetter I become
"Okay." Aljos closed the book and looked down the path. "What's something you use to dry things with?"
"I don't know; maybe a cloth or paper towel." Verko suggested.
"'Paper towel' definitely isn't it; there's only five rows of letters." The black haired warrior replied.
"Then it's just got to be 'towel' then. I'll try that." The brown haired warrior replied to her cousin. She looked at the first row of letters and found the letter "t" quickly, stepping on it, then the "o", then the "w". She then stepped on the "e" and the "l", reaching the end of the bridge. "Yes!" She grabbed two rings.
Aljos stepped on those same letters as well and grabbed the other two rings. Then Maglev and Kylam joined their fellows and then Raven did so as well, smiling at the fact that they had been able to figure out their answer quickly.
Raven addressed the cousins. "Aljos and Verko, it seems you both understand the importance of knowledge as a weapon in any warrior's arsenal. 'Towel' was indeed the correct answer. Place your rings on your standards."
Once the two cousins had done so, they listened as their guide continued to speak.
"Come my friends; our final challenge of the day awaits us." Raven led them once again to the Way of the Warrior course, the final 4 warriors close behind and knowing that one of them would leave afterwards.
Leaderboard:
1st place: Verko-7 lives, 6 rings
2nd place: Aljos-7 lives, 4 rings
3rd place: Kylam-6 lives, 4 rings
4th place: Maglev-4 lives, 5 rings
(Raven's Eye confessional)
Verko: When Aljos mentioned that "paper towel" would be way too many letters for the path, I knew that "towel" by itself was definitely the right answer.
Aljos: I'm glad the riddle was not too difficult to solve and that I'm ending the day in a good position.
(End Raven's Eye confessional)
Now the group had come to the Way of the Warrior for the last time this time this week and the top 3 warriors felt sympathy for Maglev.
"The Way of the Warrior is the most daunting trial of any that a warrior must face and few have survived it." Raven said, pointing to the short list of 4 victors: Ishal, Varna, Worjo, and Kinsa. He then continued speaking. "Maglev, as you only have 4 lives remaining, it is you who must take on this challenge. Will you add your name to that role of honor? We shall see."
Maglev got on the armor she would need to wear and had a determined look on her face. She really did want to go out fighting.
"Maglev, fail here and you must return home. Succeed and you will get through to the next stage of the quest and it will then fall to Kylam to undertake this challenge. Are you ready?" Raven asked her.
"Ready!" The preteen girl answered.
"Then may the luck of the Raven's Eye be with you! Let the challenge begin!"
Maglev did just fine with the swinging logs, tilting logs, etc. Then when she came to the second half of the challenge, she tripped over the rotating blades, causing her to vanish.
Raven brought back the blonde haired warrior and addressed her. "Maglev, do not be ashamed of your performance here. You have fought bravely until the end which is all that can be asked of any warrior. May your journey home be a safe one and may the shadows always fall behind you. Farewell my friend."
Maglev hugged the other warriors before starting her journey home and keeping her head held high as she did so.
(Raven's Eye confessional)
Maglev: I am disappointed that I did not get to the final day of this week but I am happy I decided to compete on Raven and I wish the other warriors the best of luck.
(End Raven's Eye confessional)
"So 4 warriors have now become three but only two of them can move on to the next stage of the quest. Only time will tell how they fare." Raven said. "Let us hope that they remember that the warrior who does not know adversity does not know his own strength. Come my friends; let us prepare for the adventures of a new day."
The 3 remaining warriors followed Raven to camp, hoping tomorrow would go well for them.
Next time on Raven:
Which warriors will gain the protection of the Stone Soldiers?
Can they face their fears at the High Walk?
Can they climb the Tree Rock and dive into Dead Man's Gorge
And who will avoid Nevar's wrath in the Last Stand?